Fruit-grader.



N. J. OPSTAD.

FRUIT GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1911.

1,030,479. Patented June 25, 1912.

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FRUIT GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21,1911.

Patented June 25, 1912.

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NICHOLAS J. O FSTAD, 0F RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA;

FRUIT-GBADER.

Specification of Iletters Patent. Application filed .Tune 21, 1911. Serial No. 634,419.

Pat'entedJune 25, 1912.

To all whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS J. OFs'rAn', a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Graders, of which the following isa specification.

The object of the invent-ion is to facilitate the operation of grading fruit by causing the fruit, while being conveyed, to turn, so that the operator may observe the entire surface of the fruit.

The above and other objects will appear and be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sect1on of-one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the fruit turner; Fig. 4 is .a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified form of the device.

The frame or casing 5 in Fig.1 has suitable turning members such as drums or rolls 6 connected in any suitable manner (not shown) so as to be driven by suitable source of power not herein shown. An endless conveyer 7 is trained over the rolls or drums 6 and the surface of this conveyer is stepped and imperforate as shown at 8. Inthe embodiment shown in Fig. 1 the stepping is effected by a series of rolls 9. Each series is made up of a pair of upper rolls 10 arranged in spaced relation to each other and to a lower roll 11 underlying the space between the upper rolls 10. The conveyer 7 is trained over upper rolls 10.and under the lower roll 11. The fruit turners 12 are armanner such as by the screws 14 to the opposite side walls of the frame or casing 5. The overhang portions 15 of-the turners extend over the rollers therebelow', and one side of the dependingportions 13 is curved as at 16 to conform to the curvature of the adjacent roller, whereby, to admit of adjusting theturners so that their plane upper surfaces 17 will, when desired, extend as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will be observed that the lower side of the overhang 15 is also curved so that the fruit turner may be adjusted to an inclined position opposite to that shown and just described.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. 4

the conveyer is made up of a plurality of 5 sections 18, and the casing 19 is interiorly divided into a plurality of sections by means of partitions 20. Each section has a pair of oppositely arranged rolls or drums 21 over which the conveyer 18 is-trained. The succeeding conveyors are, however, in different horizontal planes, whereby, a stepped eflect previously described in reference to Fig. 1, is effected. The fruit turners 22 are arranged in the spaces. between the adjacent rolls of adjacent sections, the said turners ers are adjusted to the positions shown by dotted lines, the velocity of the fruit passing thereover will be increased or diminished with respect to the velocity of the conveyers.

In use the fruit is introduced by suitable mechanism onto one end of the conveyer and is moved thereby onto the first turner. It

will be seen that when the fruit is on the conveyer it has no bodily movement withrespect tothe latter but when it passes onto the turner it. will roll over the latter and onto-the next conveyer where it will move with the same. While the fruit is rolling onthe turner the operator may observe the entire surface oft-he fruit, whereby, damaged fruitmay be readily detected and removed. In the event of the first operators,

failing to remove damaged fruit due to his not seeing the defect when the fruitis caused to roll-or turn by the first turner,

the fruit .will pass onto the next conveyer and when it reaches the next succeeding turner, will be rolled or turned thereby so that the chances are that the succeeding operator may detect and remove the damaged.

fruit passed by the first operator. In the event ofwfailure on the part of the second operator to detect damaged fruit passed by the first operator, the said damaged" frult -will pass onto the third operator and so on for the entire number of operators em that various changes may be made, in the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a fruit grader, the combination with an imperforate endless conveyer; of fruit turning means located in the path of the conveyer and extending coextensive with one surface of the conveyer.

2. In a fruit grader, the combination with an endless conveyer; of adjustable fruit turning means located in the path and extending substantially coextensive-with one surface of the conveyer.

' 3. In a fruit grader, the combination with an endless conveyer; of rigidly held adjustable fruit turning means located in the path of and extending substantially coextensive with the conveyer.

4. In a fruit grader, the combination with an endless conveyer having an interrupted surface; of stationary fruit turning means located in the path of the conveyer and in the break of the surface thereof.

, 5. In a fruit grader, the combination with face; of fruit turning means located at the juncture of said steps.

7. In a fruit grader, the combination with an endless conyeyer having, a stepped surface; of {L'fILllt turning means located at the juncture of said steps, and adjustable to positions co-extensive with one of said steps and at an angle to either of said steps.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NICHOLAS J OFSTAD.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK R. CovEY, HENRY D. FRENCH. 

